1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hand-operated apparatus for broadcast spreading particulate material onto an outdoor surface while a person is walking or standing in place.
2. Description of the Related Art
A broadcast spreader, also known as a rotary spreader, is a device commonly used to distribute particulate material in a calibrated spread pattern onto a variety of outdoor surfaces. The particulate material may be powdered, granulated, or aggregated matter, such as fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, seeds, pelletized lime, grains, sands, salts, animal feeds, food plot products, and the like. Suitable outdoor surfaces include fields, pastures, golf courses, lawns, roads, driveways, sidewalks, and lands and bodies of water used by domesticated animals, game animals, livestock, wildlife, birds, or fish.
A typical broadcast spreader generally comprises a container having at least one outlet port, a spreader member positioned below the container's outlet port(s), a means for releasing the particulate material from the container, and a means for rotating the spreader member to distribute the particulate material over a given surface area.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,784,962 (John McElhatton): discloses a portable spreader device that may be used to spread fertilizer, grass seed, and like scattery material on lawns. This device is operated by a hand crank that operates the blade equipped rotor, and it has an exterior manually sliding arm that controls the size of the discharge opening, which in turn controls the spread of the material. The instant invention is an obvious improvement over that of McElhatton because the instant one has a lever that simultaneously controls the amount of material that is distributed and operates the apparatus with one motion. Furthermore, the instant invention controls the amount of material that is fed to the spreader plate by controlling the opening that the material is fed through as opposed to controlling the opening that the material is distributed out of. This helps to prevent blockages in the apparatus. Finally, the obvious improvement of the instant invention is the fact the motorized device itself, which makes it much easier for the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,592,369 to Christian Albert Huette discloses a combination container and spreader package for particulate material. This device is also worn by the user to spread particulate material, but it is operated so by the use of a handle which rotates a spreader element. However, this invention is drawn to a combination container and spreader package where the material comes already in the container and does not require manual transfer of the material from some other container.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,071 to Charles L. Biggs, Jr. discloses an apparatus for broadcasting granular material. It has a hand crank operated drive assembly mounted on the base of the device coupled with a distributor wheel. The distribution of the material is controlled by the speed of the distributor wheel, not the amount of material that is fed to it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,341 to Francis F. Allen discloses a portable hand-held material broadcasting device. It has a manually engageable handle and a storage chamber for flowable granular material superimposed over a normally horizontally rotating impeller for gravitational flow of material from the chamber to the impeller. This device is an improvement on past devices because it allows the operator to adjust the volume of the material flow, the manual operation of the device, and the direction of the distribution simultaneously with only two hands. Furthermore, the installation of a stop element adjacent the actuating member helps to prevent excessive displacement of the actuating member, which can lead to undue stress and eventual breakage. If sufficient force is applied on the actuating member by a user of the device, the actuating member may be displaced from its original set position to an unselected position whereby the valve opening is reset to provide an undesired material flow rate from the device. Finger and/or thumb fatigue often occurs, which can result in a varying amount of material being distributed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,993 to Gunzel et al discloses a portable particulate material spreader that uses an electric motor and a blower chamber to distribute the material. This device discloses the use of different mechanisms to control the flow of either powdery material or granular material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,598 to Courtney et al discloses a portable spreading device with an actuating assembly including an actuating member and a dual spring arrangement interconnected with the actuating member. One of the springs causes material to be discharged onto the impeller in response to movement of the actuating member and prevents damage of the device resulting from excessive movement of the actuating member. The second spring biases the actuating member to move to an idle position in which no material is discharged onto the impeller and causes the actuating member to return to this idle position after movement thereof. This device attempts to solve the problem of not releasing material when the device is not operating. However, the operation of the actuating member can result in fatigue and requires extra care by the user to monitor the distribution of the material because it is manually operated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,225 to Bruce M. Williams discloses a handheld broadcast spreader apparatus that utilizes pneumatic pressure directing granular material from a hopper through a conduit within the outlet conduit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,035 to Johnson et al discloses a broadcast spreader mechanism. It discloses an improved feed distribution and closure mechanism for use with broadcast spreaders that comprises a threaded shaft, a disk mounted on the shaft having a central opening provided with internal threads mating with the shaft, a return spring, and a collar or the like on the shaft to stop travel of the disk on the shaft. An electric motor may be used as a power source to power the shaft so that the disk travels up and down on the shaft. The disk provides a positive closure of feed to the spinning disk as soon as the motive power for the disk is stopped, thus avoiding unwanted spilling of the feed material.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,222,583 B2 to Foster et al discloses a directional broadcast feeder for fish and game. The action of the feeder is controlled to provide a predetermined quantity of aggregate at a predetermined time. The velocity of the feed as it exits is such that the area directly surrounding the feeder is free of feed particulate. The projection of the feed is accomplished by propelling the feed pellets with a center intake centrifugal air blower assembly designed such that no special feed gates, baffles, or chutes are required.
Proper dispersion of granular material is necessary for efficiency in use of material to be dispersed, as well as for proper density in dispersion of the material. As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new and improved broadcast spreader apparatus as set forth by the instant invention which addresses both the problems of ease of use as well as effectiveness in construction in directing granular material in a various pattern. The instant invention attempts to address the aforementioned goals and problems of the prior art utilizing a device that comprises a spreader console that has an electric switch that simultaneously activates the opening of the panel that allows the feed to fall to the spreader plate and the spinning of the spreader plate.